4/25/00 2:55 p.m.
Forbes the Switcher
A hard guy to keep track.

By Perry Smith, editor, ConservativeX.com

esterday, Michael Forbes, D-N.Y., the congressman who famously switched from Republican to Democrat last summer, held a campaign fundraiser at which President Clinton was the headliner. But it seems Forbes is grateful to the president for more than ready cash alone. The Long Island congressman is trying to get elected to a fourth term in Congress, and he seems to be borrowing from the Clinton playbook itself: switching principles, positions, and allegiances for the sake of electoral success.

Forbes was elected to Congress in 1994 as part of the Republican takeover. He was an energetic defender of Speaker Newt Gingrich, stating that "there have been Democratic attempts to demonize Newt Gingrich and it's sad." Forbes described Gingrich as a "caring" and "concerned" man. About the Democrats, Forbes said: "It truly is sad that the minority party has yet to find their message to the American people. . . . But what is their agenda? Aside from trying to hold onto a big government and solutions that, in their mind, can only be brought by government, they don't have much faith in the individual to bring about solutions."

Having an apparent change of heart with regard to Speaker Gingrich, Forbes became the first congressman, and a very junior congressman at that, to call for Gingrich's resignation in 1996. As a result, he was shunned by many members of his party. He confessed he "could not even get a stop sign put up" in his district if he wanted to.

In 1998, Forbes forged a partial comeback. He jumped on the "Livingston for Speaker" bandwagon early, and was poised to be the new Speaker's right-hand man. Forbes showed a Clintonesque emphasis when he described his feelings: "The feeling of being vindicated is really what I'm kind of feeling." He didn't stop there, noting, "It's very funny, especially when you know a month ago I was in the ashes. They were all writing my political obit. Having me here as confidant of the third-most-powerful man in the world ought to help New York and Long Island."

Livingston didn't become Speaker, and Forbes didn't become the "confidant" of anyone powerful. Forbes did, however, vote to impeach the President on all four counts. Many are of the opinion that he did so because he had committed to do so, and that he had committed to do so in support of Livingston. But he sounded sincere when he publicly explained to his three children that "I always taught you to tell the truth," and that he hoped they would understand "that I did it for you — for the country you will inherit, live in and lead." Forbes also emphasized that "by our words and by our deeds, all of us have an obligation to teach our children right from wrong and that when you do wrong there are consequences."

Shortly thereafter, Forbes announced that he was switching parties. In doing so, Forbes described the Republican Party as an "angry, narrow-minded, intolerant and uncaring majority, incapable of governing at all, much less from the center...tone deaf to the concerns of the majority of Americans."

Forbes mentioned to one of his staffers that he was disappointed that his announcement came on the same day that JFK, Jr.'s plane crashed, thus taking the evening-news spotlight away from him. No doubt the few Republican Forbes staffers who did not resign were also deeply upset by that tragedy of poor news judgement. Although Forbes had already endorsed George W. Bush for president, after switching parties he withdrew that endorsement, stating that he would support the Democratic nominee.

Bush was not the only one to be rejected by the new and improved Forbes. Feeling the pressure from his abortion-friendly colleagues, Forbes rejected the endorsement of his local Right to Life party. Desperate to raise money, Forbes had President Clinton in for yesterday’s fundraiser.

Forbes called Clinton "somebody I've grown to have great affection for." One might even call Clinton his role model.